Hose coupler



Oct. 3, "1933. M. LQUGHEAD 1,928,837

HosE c oUPLEn i Filed Jan. 18, 1929 1 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 3, 1933. M. LOUGHEAD 1,928,837.

Hosn coUPLER v Filed Jan@ 18, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 3, 1933 y Y. l nosE ooUPLER Malcolm Loughead, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Hydraulic Brake Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California y Application January 18, 1929. Serial No. 333,308

9 Claims.

My invention relates to hose couplers and particularly to the construction and method of attachment of hose couplers.

Flexible hose is extensively used in hydraulic brake systems to interconnect relatively movable parts. In order for the hydraulic brake system to operate properly it is essential to provide hose which has practically no expansibility so that the volume of the hose will remain constant unde varying pressure oi the duid therein.

.e hose which has been found in practice to be highly satisfactory for this purpose comprises a rubber tube having a pair of layers of stranded material imbedded therein which renders the hose substantially non-expansiole. The fluid pressure developed at times in a hydraulic brake system when a sudden stop is necessary rises to high values and makes it necessary to provide a strong and durable coupler for connecting the hose to inetailic parts ci the The problems involved in providing e. coupler for a high pressure nonenpansible hose are quite different from those involved in a coupler for a low pressure or expansible hose.

One oi' the objects o1? my invention is to provide an improved hose coupler.

Another object is to provide a coupler that will not separate from the hose when subject to severe longitudinal or separative forces incident to high pressure service.

A further object is to provide a hose coupling which is not subject to leakage under high pressure.

A further object is to provide a simple and economicei method of constructing the improved coupling.

A. further object is to provide a simple, reliabie and relatively inexpensive hose coupling for high pressure duty.

A further object is to provide a hose coupling for a substantially non-expansible hose.

@ther objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is an elevation oi a coupler attached to the end of a hose and embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section showing the external sleeve with the hose forced` into the sleeve illustrating a step in the method of assembling Referring to the drawings and moreparticularly to Fig. l, a coupler 8 is shown attached to a substantially non-expansible hose 9 comprising stranded layers 6 and 7 of braided material em bedded in rubber. The coupler comprises gener-I ally a tubular sleeve i3 which may be a stamping upon which threads l2 are formed and a thirnble le of any suitable material, preferablyv copper. The coupler may be attached to an appropriate complementary connector associated with a pressure uid container, another hose or the litre by means of the threads l2. lThe sleeve has a cylindrical portion 'with a flange l5 at the rear end thereof, the flange being provided with a hexagonal periphery to facilitate the threading of the coupler to another member.

The bore of sleeve 13 at the' anged end is given an outward flare lo for the purposeoi avoiding a sharp edge against the hose and obviating an abrupt bend when the hose is bent relative to the coupler. The bore at this end is of a slightly less diameter than the normal diameter of the hose so that when the hose is iorced intofthis porn tion of the sleeve it will be slightly compressed.

Intermediate its ends the interior bore of the sleeve is smaller than at its ends providingan inwardly projecting annular portion 30 requiring a considerable compression of the hose to insert the hose in this portion of the sleeve. At its forward end sleeve 13 is provided upon its interior suriace with a larger bore constituting an annular groove il? which is cut close to the end of the sleeve, leaving a small and rather sharp annular ridge i8 projecting inwardly therefrom.

' The thimble 14 includes a flange or annular disc-shaped portion 19 having an annular ledge 20 on its inner surface near the outer rim. The contrai portion of the disc is made convex and has a nipple 21 projecting rearwardly therefrom.

The forward end of nipple 2l is formed with an s -the hose and also to insure that the end of the hose which is to be inserted in the sleeve has the proper diameter.

In forcing the hose into the sleeve the `portion of the hose in the rearward end of the sleeve is pressed only slightly while the portion of the hose within'the central part 30 of thesleeve is cornpressed considerably more. After the hose is .in-

'sorted in the outer sleeve, as shown in Fig. 2,

thimble 14 is inserted in the hose as shown -in Fig. 3. The thimble before being expanded has 'an outer diameter approximately 4equal to the as to flt into the central aperture in the disc, is

forced against the convex portion of disc 19, flattening the convex portion and expanding the disc radially outward so that the ridge 18 will be firmly imbedded in the ledge 20 which will extend to the bottom of groove17.

During the flattening of the' disc the conical portion 22 and the cylindrical portion 23 of the nipple will be moved further into the hose. Contraction of the central opening in the disc during the flattening of the convex portion is prevented by the pressure of plunger 25 therein. After the convex portion of disc 19 has been flattened, an expanding tool 33 is forced into the thimble, expanding the forward conical portion thereof and thereby forcing the material of the end of the hose radially outward into groove 1'7. Due to the fact that the ends of the strands of the braided layers of material within the hose are free, a certain amount of expansion of the end of the hose ,may take place so that a portion of the outer layer of stranded material extends into the groove.

Further movement of the expanding tool similarly expands or enlarges the rear cylindrical portion of the thimble, thereby causing the hose thereabout to be compressed against the interior' wall of the intermediate portion of the sleeve. Thimble 14 is expanded until the lntemal diameter of the thimble is expanded to the normal internal diameter of theA hose.

In this manner the hose is compressed between the sleeve and the thimble in the central portion of the sleeve to such an-extent that the stranded layers of braided material are flattened and the thickness of the wall of the hose is reduced. The thimble extends rearwardly slightly beyond the central portion of the sleeve. However, the

stranded layers of braided material will not be .appreciably compressed at this point because the bore of the sleeve is slightly larger at this point, allowing the outer surface of the hose to expand to substantially its normal size. The expansion of the interior diameter of the hose at this point without a corresponding contraction of the outer diameter of the hose results in a gradual lessening of the compressive stresses on the hose at this' point.V

Beyond the end of the thimble the portion of the hose within the sleeve 13 is under no strain.

This is a desirable feature due to the fact that the portion of the hose which is under strain will withstand very little flexing of the material without unduly wearing the material. In this construction of the hose coupling none of the mate- 'rials under strain is flexed by bending the sleeve the couplerby first slipping with respect to one of the members of the coupler and then the other. The coupler is, therefore, capable of resisting high fluid pressure in the hose without leakage or danger of the hose and coupler being separated.

The method of assembling the connector to the. hose is claimed in my c opending application, Serial No. 311,721,- flled October 11, 1928, of which the present application is a continuation in part.

Having illustrated and described the nature an'd embodiments of my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is as follows:

1. In combination with a thicklwailed flexible hose having a tightly woven fabric layer and inner and outer layers of rubber, an expansible tubular member engaging the interior of the hose and having a flange abutting the end of the hose, and an externally threaded tubular member surrounding the hose and cooperating with the first tubular member to clamp the hose between them, said tubular members having interlocking porn tions including said flange to retain them in fixed longitudinal relation to each other.

2. In combination with a flexible hose having a slightly compressible but substantially nonn expansible layer of fabric incorporated therein, an external member encompassing the hose, said member having an irregular internal surface and having a threaded external surface for making a coupling connection, an internal expansible member adapted to force the material of the hose into the irregularities of the external member, and a disc integral with one of said members abutting the end of the hose and rigidly interlocked with H0 the other member.

3. In combination with a flexible hose, a sleeve surrounding the hose having an internal bore of slightly lesser diameter than the external diameter of the hose'and having a groove on its interior 115 surface, and an expansible thimble having a flange abutting the end of the'hose and adapted tightly to force the material of the hose into the groove in said sleeve, said flange having a portion interlocking in said internal groove in said sleeve.

4. A connector for a flexible rubber covered tightlywoven fabric hose, comprisingaconnecting member surrounding the hose and having an lnternal groove in such proximity to one end thereof as to form a ridge at said end, the diameter of said vgroove being substantially the same as the external diameter of said hose so that the latter expands into said groove in part due to the elasticity of the rubber covering of the hose, a deformed companion member for clamping the hose to said connecting and surrounding member, said companion member having a portion deformed into engagement with said ridge to form a. rigid interlocking connection between said members.

5. A connector for a rubber hose having a tightly woven fabric layer externally and internally covered with layers of rubber, comprising a coupling sleeve surrounding the end of the hose and provided with external threads and an in- 140 ternally extending ridge, a member extending into the end of the hose, and a deformable disc integral with said member having an annular ledge deformed into overlapping engagement with the ridge of said sleeve.

'6. v'I'he combination with a substantially nonexpansible hose, of a hose fitting therefor, comprising an external sleeve surrounding the end of the hose and' having a groove at one end thereof, and an internal nipple compressing the hose .A @928387 t ,against the externalsleeve, said nipple having av deformable vradial flange deformed inteinterl and the flange thereof lying substantially' f with the end of said sleeve. "I 7. In combination with a hose having a'layer locking relationinto the groove in sairl sleeve thereby to rigidly connect said sleeve and nipple,

said nipple abutting against the end of the 'hose ush ci non-expansible materialembedded therein, a

sleeve surrounding the end of the hose and having a bore of smaller diameter than the outer diameter of the hose and having a portion of larger diameter at each end, a thimble shorter than the sleeve and extending into the sleeve beyond the portion thereof of small diameter and compressing the hose against said sleeve, the hose at the rearward end oi said sleeve being under substantially ne compressive strain, and tightly-l fltting interlocking parte 'on said sleeve and said thimble permanently to hold the thirnble in place in said sleeve. I

ii. In combination with v a rubber hose having a non-expansibie layer oi?v material embedded therein, a sleeve surrounding the end ofthe hose and having a bore portion of lesser diameter than thev outer diameter ef' the hose and other portions oi substan'tieilt7 the 'same diameter as the outerdiameter of the hose, a thimble compresst A.ing the hose outwardly against 'the sleeve 'jthroughout the extent ofthe small diameter'por- Xtion vof the bore thereof, and a ange integral '-.with sadthimble engaging and interlocking with- 4the end of said sleeve rigidly to hold said thimble in position in said sleeve.

.9. A connector for thick. Walled flexible hose whicha substantially non-expansible layer of fabric is incorporated, comprising a sleeve having a bore with a portion oi slightly lesser diameter lthan theexternal diameter oi the hose and the remaining portion of the here oijsubstantiallythe same diameter' as time external diameter of the hose whereby said hose will have a part thereof radially compressed upon insertion ei' tire hose into the bore of said sleeve sleeve lieti#l thimble expended inthe leere dif-tire heee se as ing means on its externa-i surface ier a Q duid-tight connection with another menester, a

tightly te clamp the hose against theA peri-.ien e'f force a part of the substance of the hose into the portion of the sleeve bore of greater diameter, and means on said thimble permanently interieclring the thimble' with said sleeve. l

' v MALCOLM LQUGMAD.

lthe bore of the sleeve of reduced diameter and te Y lll) lao 

